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Family of man shot to death at NE Philadelphia home speaks out: ‘He was a family man’

Updated  December 29, 2023 6:15am EST
Crime & Public Safety
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Family of man shot, killed at NE Philly home speaks out

A man was found shot to death near the front door of a Northeast Philadelphia townhome where he lived with his wife and two children, police say.

PHILADELPHIA - A man was found shot to death near the front door of a Northeast Philadelphia townhome where he lived with his wife and two children, police say. 

Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the Regency Townhomes on the 3500 block of Woodhaven Road around 11:30 p.m. Thursday.

Police found 33-year-old Bilal Henry fatally shot in the head and torso amid a barrage of more than a dozen gunshots, according to investigators. 

Chief Inspector Scott Small told reporters Bilal's wife and two children, under the age of 10, were on the second floor of the home at the time of the shooting. 

They told investigators they heard a knock on the door followed by several gunshots, Small said.

Man shot to death at Philadelphia townhome where he lived with woman, 2 children: police

A man was found shot to death near the front door of a Philadelphia townhome where he lived with a woman and two children, police say.

His wife, Sonya Henry, spoke with FOX 29. "For that to happen, when we’re upstairs – like, imagine the toll it takes on me and the children."

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"He put his family first. He was always a family man," Henry described her husband. "He took care of his family. He was there. He became my hero and a hero for my kids."

Bilal’s grandmother, Geraldine Brown, said, "Our family is devastated, being that Bilal was not an individual who was out in the streets. He was a family man."

Bilal Henry

The family says they just want to know who is responsible for killing him.

"For them to turn themselves in or if someone saw something to say something. It hurts a family. It hurts us," Henry said.

Police do not believe anything was taken or ransacked during the shooting. Sonya said Bilal worked for the School District of Philadelphia.

No arrests were reported immediately after the shooting.

In a statement released Saturday, the President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Jerry Jordan, said:

"To know that Mr. Henry was gunned down answering the door at his own home, while his wife and children were present is just gut-wrenching. There are no words that could convey comfort during this time of sorrow, but on behalf of the PFT, I extend my deepest condolences to Mr. Henry's family, including his wife Sonya and their children, as well as to the entire Mayfair Elementary community. At Mayfair, 'Mr. B.' was beloved and had terrific relationships with students and staff. The depth of this loss is immeasurable."

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Click here to find resources for victims of violence in Philadelphia.